Abstract

In this paper, we identify and evaluate the privacy implications caused by ourselves sharing information on social media platforms. Each day, millions of people use Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, and many other social media services and applications to stay connected with friends and family. We broadcast personal information such as our names, location, occupation, spouse’s and children’s names, personal photographs and videos, and other intimate details of our everyday lives. Social media sites monetize this free exchange of personal information by capturing and mining this data and significant metadata for advertising and other revenue generation activities. As we have divulged more of our private lives on social websites and applications, the opportunities for criminals to victimize users by capturing and mining this same information has increased exponentially. Yet, most social media users are unaware of the dangers that exist with even their casual use of social media. We found that our privacy is not well protected by neither the social media companies nor the law as it relates to our social media activities, and, therefore, consumers must take the initiative to understand the privacy implications of their social media activities.